A disappointingly mediocre follow-up by the makers of last year's brilliant Trainspotting. The illpaced narrative tells the story of Robert (Ewan McGregor), a recently-fired janitor who unwittingly kidnaps the beautiful daughter (Cameron Diaz) of his rich ex-boss. Screenwriter John Hodge attempts to freshen things up by tossing in gun-toting angels, a psychotic dentist and some forced romantic comedy, but only manages to further muddle the plot. A messy film that looks like a work-in-progress. --Jordan I. Fox
The Myth of Fingerprints
A grainy dysfunctional-family drama that seems to be aiming for a Chekhovian blend of humor and pathos, but falls far short of the mark. Its saving grace is solid ensemble acting, with Julianne Moore and "ER" darling Noah Wyle holding their own as the two central characters who make Thanksgiving a squirm with their barely-concealed resentment toward their taciturn and enigmatic father (Roy Scheider). Unfortunately, none of the characters here are given enough depth or dimension to earn any true empathy. --Lynn Y. Lee
The Peacemaker
Tapping into the post-Cold War paranoia of nuclear arms falling into unknown hands, this wellpaced but predictable action/suspense thriller doesn't ever stir a step beyond the demands of its genre. Nicole Kidman and George Clooney deliver competent if unremarkable performances as the nuclear scientist and independent-minded military officer who team up to save the world from the self-destructive tendenies of a Harvard-graduated loony. --Jonathan B. Dinerstein
Seven Years in Tibet
A semi-successful, though gorgeous, epic gives much-needed visibility to the tragic modern history of Tibet, but opts for glossy formulaic packaging over genuine emotion, even in the central relationship between Brad Pitt's Austrian mountaineer and the young Dalai Lama. Pitt never frees us from the sensation that he's out of place--a Hollywood heartthrob trying to look spiritual. In fact, the film actually becomes more dramatically compelling as Pitt's character fades in prominence, though it's amusing to watch his arrogant narcissism get deflated. --Lynn Y. Lee
Washington Square
Jennifer Jason Leigh is perfectly cast in Agnieszka Holland's adaptation of Henry James's novel. An awkward young woman starved for affection is caught between a cynical, distant father and a spirited but selfish young suitor. Holland's camera work and sense of period is engaging throughout, and her trademark comic acuity leavens the somber arc of the story. Eventually, though, Leigh asserts herself just long enough to break your heart. Like its heroine, the film misses true magnificence, but its intelligent cast and sensitive story-telling are more than enough to recommend it. --Nicholas K. Davis
Year of the Horse
Jim Jarmusch pays a worthy tribute to Neil Young & Crazy Horse through an engrossing collage of biography, interviews and concert footage that's bound to satisfy even die-hard Neil Young fans. Through it all, he also evokes the unusual sense of family that ties the band together, as well as the not-so-obvious connection between his own art and theirs. The result is a fine, occasionally brilliant synergy of music and film. --Brandon K. Walston